Looking for something quick and easy on a Saturday night, I opted for the lamb.
What goes with lamb? Well, it's a heavy meat, often very fatty and really liked spikey flavours to cut through - balsamic vinegar, asparagus, feta cheese, mint sauce, all classic combinations.
I decided to go with a sort of Anglo-Italian approach: mint and peas, but also spinach and balsamic. Vegetable accompaniments are mashed potato, asparagus and shitake mushrooms.
When building up a simple dish like this, consider the ingredients. Consider how you can make each element special, full of flavour and an integral part of the experience.
Simple sausages can be sensational ...
- Sausages - gently fried in olive oil
- Mushrooms - very lightly fried in olive oil
- Mashed Potato - boiled until soft, mashed with minced butter and lots of butter
- Asparagus & Peas - immersed in boiled water, nothing more
- Mint Sauce - Chopped mint, balsamic vinegar and sea salt
- Spinach - raw
So, pretty much do that ...
Each element is made up in its own pan and kept warm so that the symphony rises to a crescendo when it hits the plate.
Simple guide, sausages on first, next potatoes, pour boiled water over asparagus and peas, make up the sauce, lightly fry the mushrooms, mash the potato, dress the plate with spinach ...
... and plate up, intermingling the cooked ingredients. Sea salt and pepper, mint sauce applied generously. Glass of good red alongside, heaven.
